JEDDAH: Cleaners and workers at construction companies continue to work until noon in the Kingdom under the hot sun and high temperatures despite a government order to ban working in the afternoon.
Lack of inspection teams from the Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Social Affairs has been cited as one reason for failing to check firms to allow labors working in the afternoon, a local publication reported.
A well-informed source at the Labor Ministry confirmed to the publication that the ministry does actually implement these inspection tours. However, they are not announced, and a number of violations have therefore been discreetly recorded.
According to a previous order by the ministry, it was stipulated that every year from June 15 to Sept. 15, working under the direct sunshine would be banned in all facilities from 12 noon until 3 p.m.
The ministry noted that its personnel do in fact conduct regular inspection tours to make sure that the regulations are being applied, and also receives reports and complaints from clients when violations of the law occur.
National Society for Human Rights Secretary General Khalid Al Fakhri said the ministry typically announces specific dates to start the ban on working under the direct sun around this time of the year: “As a human rights advocacy group, the society receives reports on any establishment that does not comply with the decision. We also have the free-toll phone number where people can report such violations. All of this will get into full swing when the ministry announces the specified date and hours for the ban this season,” he explained.
Temperatures in the east of the Kingdom reached record levels in comparison to this time last year; in Dammam, the temperatures recorded on Sunday and Monday were 40 and 43 Celsius. Many groups have warned against staying in the direct sun for too long to avoid sun stroke.
Meanwhile, many parents in Dammam and Khobar were forced to give their children light medical aid when they returned home after sitting their exams for the second day, as the students were required to walk long distances under the direct sun during the day. On the other hand, the schools warned students not to walk under the direct sun, and ensured that full maintenance checks had been completed on all air-conditioning appliances to spare the students from the heat, especially for those students with asthma whose situation is exacerbated by the heat.
Lack of inspection teams from the Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Social Affairs has been cited as one reason for failing to check firms to allow labors working in the afternoon, a local publication reported.
A well-informed source at the Labor Ministry confirmed to the publication that the ministry does actually implement these inspection tours. However, they are not announced, and a number of violations have therefore been discreetly recorded.
According to a previous order by the ministry, it was stipulated that every year from June 15 to Sept. 15, working under the direct sunshine would be banned in all facilities from 12 noon until 3 p.m.
The ministry noted that its personnel do in fact conduct regular inspection tours to make sure that the regulations are being applied, and also receives reports and complaints from clients when violations of the law occur.
National Society for Human Rights Secretary General Khalid Al Fakhri said the ministry typically announces specific dates to start the ban on working under the direct sun around this time of the year: “As a human rights advocacy group, the society receives reports on any establishment that does not comply with the decision. We also have the free-toll phone number where people can report such violations. All of this will get into full swing when the ministry announces the specified date and hours for the ban this season,” he explained.
Temperatures in the east of the Kingdom reached record levels in comparison to this time last year; in Dammam, the temperatures recorded on Sunday and Monday were 40 and 43 Celsius. Many groups have warned against staying in the direct sun for too long to avoid sun stroke.
Meanwhile, many parents in Dammam and Khobar were forced to give their children light medical aid when they returned home after sitting their exams for the second day, as the students were required to walk long distances under the direct sun during the day. On the other hand, the schools warned students not to walk under the direct sun, and ensured that full maintenance checks had been completed on all air-conditioning appliances to spare the students from the heat, especially for those students with asthma whose situation is exacerbated by the heat.
